SPOT Gen3 Satellite Messenger

RECOMMENDED Products

Track flights and send messages from anywhere

The latest in the line of SPOT rugged satellite GPS messengers, the SPOT Gen3 keeps you connected even when you’re in-flight or off-the-grid. Using the power of satellite technology SPOT works virtually anywhere in the world. Check in with your personal and professional networks, send custom messages and let others track your location in real-time via Google Maps™. In an emergency, transmit an SOS with your location to GEOS...

The latest in the line of SPOT rugged satellite GPS messengers, the SPOT Gen3 keeps you connected even when you’re in-flight or off-the-grid. Using the power of satellite technology SPOT works virtually anywhere in the world. Check in with your personal and professional networks, send custom messages and let others track your location in real-time via Google Maps™. In an emergency, transmit an SOS with your location to GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Center.

Long battery life: choose from lithium or rechargeable batteries; or line-power the unit through its USB port. Comes with 4 lithium batteries.

New tracking options: now you can choose the rate of tracking that suits your adventure (2 1/2, 5, 10, 30, or 60 minutes).

Motion activated tracking: now your SPOT knows when you’re moving and when you stop to make camp. When SPOT Gen3 senses you’ve stopped for an extended period of time it will stop sending track messages until you start moving again.

New contoured shape: the new design allows you to easily attach your SPOT to your bag, boat or vehicle allowing SPOT to go wherever you do.

SOS: Use this function In the event of a life-threatening or other critical emergency to notify emergency services of your GPS location and that you need assistance. The GEOS International Emergency Response Center alerts the appropriate agencies worldwide – for example contacting 9-1-1 responders in North America and 1-1-2 responders in Europe.

Help: In the event of a non-life threatening emergency, you can use this function to notify your personal contacts that you need assistance. Additional SPOT Assist services can be purchased and programmed to your Help button as well. When activated with SPOT Assist, the Help button will notify professional services either on the land or water. SPOT has partnered with national service providers to offer non-life threatening assistance.

Check-in/OK: This feature allows you to let your friends and family know that all is OK with a pre-programmed message along with your GPS location. With a push of a button a message is sent via email or SMS to up to 10 pre-determined contacts and your waypoint is stored in your SPOT account for later reference.

Custom Message: This feature allows you to let your friends and family receive a custom message along with your GPS location with a push of a button. Use this feature as a secondary OK message or transfer your personal help alert to this message function if you are using a SPOT Assist service on your Help button.

Track Progress: This feature allows you to send and save your location and allow contacts to track your progress in near real time using Google Maps. With your SPOT account you have the ability to set up a SPOT Shared Page which allows you to show your SPOT GPS locations to others on a Google Map.

Social Media Check-in: Share your GPS location and message on Facebook or Twitter.

SPOT vs. Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs):

SPOT and PLBs have similar features at first glance, and it’s easy to get confused between the two. But both devices work very differently, and it’s important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of both.

The SPOT is designed to be a messenger first and foremost, so it is much smaller and has many more options for communicating than a PLB. It is not just an emergency device. SPOT also uses a different satellite system than PLBs, so some rugged terrain can interfere with SPOT transmissions. SPOT users must have an annual service plan.

A PLB is primarily a life-saving device, and uses a higher-power transmitter and has a much longer battery life. PLBs do not require a subscription for emergency use, although some newer PLBs have non-emergency messaging options that may require a subscription. Most PLBs also transmit on 121.5 Mhz, so search and rescue forces can use the device as a homing beacon. PLBs generally cost more than SPOT.

In the end, different pilots have different needs. If you’re looking for a handy device to track your flights and update family and friends, the SPOT is one-of-a-kind tool. If you’re looking for an emergency transmitter to alert search and rescue forces anywhere in the world, in any terrain, a PLB is the reliable choice.

Pros: Great for tracking, get search-and-rescue anywhere, very light Cons: Tracking frequency > every 10 minutes requires additional service, website not very friendly I like that I can just turn this on before departing and leave it running until I'm securing the plane, and anyone expecting me can see where I am. I also feel much safer knowing that if I have an accident I can push the SOS button.

Our Guarantee

Our guarantee has not changed since we introduced our first product in 1962. If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, let us know – we will make it right. If you would like a refund or exchange, please return the product on a timely basis (within 30 days), in the same condition in which it was received. After 30 days, we will continue to support the product for a full year, but refunds and exchanges are not accepted. Personalized products such as embroidered shirts or engraved glasses are not returnable.

Price Guarantee

Sporty’s guarantees competitive pricing on everything we sell. If you find a competitor offering an identical item at a lower advertised price, just mail or fax us the ad, and Sporty’s will match that price.

Standard Express Shipping

We offer the fastest shipping in the business, so you won’t have to wait for your important charts or a last-minute gift. Since we stock almost everything we sell, we offer same day shipping: in-stock orders placed by 5pm Eastern (weekdays), will be shipped that same day, often within minutes of ordering.

Orders shipping to the United States have three shipping options: ground (which typically takes 3-5 days), 2-day air, or overnight. Note that these are days in transit are business days, so Saturday and Sunday are not included. We ship by UPS and US Mail.

Overnight shipping is also available on most items.

Return Policy

For over 50 years, in addition to same day shipping, Sporty’s has offered same day returns and same day exchanges. Each day, we process all returns and exchanges before new orders go out. We know of no other company who does this!